Feed-trough.



No. 718,540. PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

J. J. SMITH.

FEED TROUGH.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 15, 1902.

no MODEL.

S ry-res LATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. SMITH, OF MARSHALL, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALFTO JOHN R. OONKLIN, OF MARSHALL, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

FEED-TROUGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,540, dated January13, 1903.

Application filed August 15, 1902. Serial No. 119,806. (No model.)

To alZZ whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, JAMESJ. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marshall, in the county of Logan and Territory of Oklahoma,have invented a new and useful Feed- Trough, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices employed for the purpose of feedinganimals, more par- KO ticularly swine, sheep, and similar-sized animals,but which may be employed for feeding any of the various species ofanimals, and has for its object the production of a device preferablylocated within or forming a portion of a fence and adapted to be closedwhile the feed is being placed therein; and the invention consists incertain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown anddescribed, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the device from the feed side. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionwith the shield or cover reversed or with the device arranged in posiz 5tion to receive the feed.

The device will be preferably located between the adjacent posts of afence, the posts being represented at 10 and the fence-boards at 11, ofthe ordinary construction.

The improved device consists in a feedtrough 12, of any approvedconstruction, located between the posts'lO, as shown, and preferablyprojecting at equal distances on opposite sides of the fence.

The ends of the feed-receptacle 12 are extended upward centrally, asshown at 13 14-, and pivotally engaged with these upwardlyprojectingends is a movable shield or guardplate 15, the guard-plate havingdepending 4o ends 16 17 and engages the outside of the ends 13 and 14 ofthe-receptacle. These ends are pivoted to the upper central portions ofthe ends 13 14 by pins 18, which are held in position by means ofstaples 19, by which 5 means the guard-plate may be readily reversed inposition, as will be understood.

When in one position, as in Fig. 1, the

. guard-plate will form an inclined closure between the fence-boards 11and the upper edge 50 of the feed-receptacle on one side, and whenreversed in position the guard-plate will form a similar closure betweenthe fence-boards and the opposite edge of the feed-receptacle, as shownin Fig. 2.

Fitting into the top of the receptacle is a grating formed oflongitudinal bars 20 21 and spaced transverse bars 22,the longitudinalbar 21 being hinged at 23 24 to one edge of the feedreceptacle 12, asshown, so that the grating may be turned up above the feed-receptacle,as shown in Fig. 2.

Attached to the underside of the guardplate 15, preferably near its endsand in proximity to the end pieces 16 and 17, are guiderods 25, spacedfrom the guard-plate and adapted to engage loops 26, attached to thegrating 20 21 22 near its free edge. The loops 26 will possesssufficient looseness of action, so that when the guard-plate 15 isoperated it will carry the grating with it, the rods 25 permitting theloops to freely travel longitudinally thereof as the guard-plate isshifted, as will be understood.

The feed side of the receptacle will necessarily be the hinged side ofthe grating, so

that when the guard-plate 15 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, withthe grating in its depressed position, the feed-receptacle will beaccessible to the animals through the grating. When, however, it isdesired to introduce fresh feed into the receptacle, the gu ard-platewill be reversed, which action will shut off the feed side of thereceptacle and open the opposite side and at the same time will causethe grate to assume an elevated position in close proximity to the underface of the guard-plate and the grating will be protected by the ends 16and 17 of the guard-plate 15. In this position the outer side of thefeed-receptacle will be left free and unobstructed for the readyinsertion of the feed from that side. By this simple means the animalsmaybe shut off from access to the feed until the attendant reverses theguard-plate, and the placing of the feed in the receptacle will not,therefore, be interfered with. This is avery convenient arrangement andgreatly facilitates the feeding of stock and prevents waste oroverfeeding, as the amount supplied may be perfectly controlled and thefeeding time also perfectly controlled, as the guard-plate 15 may beretained in the position shown in Fig. 2 until the feeding time hasarrived.

The difierent parts of the apparatus may be constructed of any desiredsize or capacity and of any suitable material and may be modified inminor particulars without departing from the principle of the inventionor sacrificing any of its advantages.

A ring 27 may be attached to one edge of the guard-plate 15, as shown inFig. 2, to facilitate the handling of the latter and also afford meansfor locking the guard-plate in either one of its two positions.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is i 1. A device ofthe class described consisting of a feed-receptacle, aguard-platereversibly disposed with relation to said feed-receptacle, a gratingextending across the entrance to the receptacle and pivotally connectedto one side thereof, and means movably connecting the grating to theguard-plate, whereby said grating will be elevated to a position inclose proximity to the guard-plate when th latter is reversed.

2. A device of the class described consisting of a feed-receptacle, areversible guardplate adapted to alternately stand adjacent oppositesides of the receptacle, a grating movably connected to one side of thereceptacle, and means connecting the free end of the grating with theguard-plate whereby the said end will be alternately elevated anddepressed by the operation of said guard-plate.

3. In a stock-feeder, the combination of a fence having a gap, afeed-receptacle located within said gap, a reversible guard plateadapted to alternately engage the opposite sides of the feed-receptacle,a grating movably engaging said feed-receptacle,and means whereby saidgrating will be alternately elevated and depressed by the movement ofsaid guard-plate.

4. In a stock-feeder, the combination of a fence having a gap therein, afeed-receptacle located in said gap, a guard-plate disposedlongitudinally of said feed-receptacle and movably connected centrallythereto and adapted to alternately stand adjacent the opposite sidesthereof, a grating engaging the entrance to said feed-receptacle andmovably connected by one end thereto, and means movably connecting saidgrating by its other side to said guard-plate, whereby said grating willbe alternately elevated and depressed by the movement of saidguard-plate.

5. In a stock-feeder, a fence having a gap therein, a feed-receptaclelocated in said gap, a guard-plate disposed longitudinally of saidfeed-receptacle and having depending ends movably engaging saidfeed-receptacle and adapted to be rocked centrally thereon,wherebyaccess to the sides of said feed-receptacle is alternately cut off, agrating engaging the entrance to said feed-receptacle and movablyconnected thereto, and means movably connecting said grating and saidguard-plate, whereby said grating will be alternately elevated anddepressed by the operation of said guard-plate, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a stock-feeder, a feed-receptacle, a. guard-plate disposedlongitudinally of said feed-receptacle and having depending ends movablyconnected to said feed-receptacle, whereby said guard-plate is adaptedto rock upon said feed-receptacle to alternately cut off access to theopposite sides thereof, a grating movably engaging said feed-receptacle,and means movably connecting said grating to said guard-plate, wherebysaid grating will be alternately elevated and depressed by the operationof said guard-plate, substantially as described.

7. In a stock-feeder, a feed-receptacle having extended ends, aguard-plate disposed longitudinally of said feed-receptacle and havingdepending ends movably engaging the extended ends of saidfeed-receptacle, whereby the guard-plate is adapted to rock above saidfeed-receptacle and alternately out 01f access thereto from oppositesides, a grating movably engaging said feed-receptacle, and meanswhereby said grating will be alternately elevated and depressed by theoperation of said guard-plate, substantially as described.

8. In a stock-feeder, a feed-receptacle, a guard-plate longitudinallydisposed with relation to said feed-receptacle and adapted to rockthereon, whereby access to the sides of said feed-receptacle isalternately cut off, a grating engaging the entrance to saidfeedreceptacle and movably connected by one edge thereto, elongatedloops attached to said guard-plate, and eyes attached to said gratingand slidably engaging said loops, whereby the operation of saidguard-plates will correspondingly elevate and depress said grating,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aifixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES J SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. M. CLEAVES, S. W. MURPHY.

